BARI (ANSA) - BARI, MARCH 13 - They were returning from Naples when the minibus of their religious institute, perhaps due to the explosion of a tire, overturned shortly after 18.30, broke the guard rail, and ended up in an escarpment of the A16 Napoli-Canosa motorway, in the stretch between Candela and Cerignola, towards Bari. Four nuns died in the impact and nine other people, who were traveling on board the bus with them, were injured.
To transport them to the hospitals of Foggia and San Giovanni Rotondo, the intervention of the helicopter rescue was necessary.
Their conditions are unknown.
According to an initial reconstruction of the accident, three nuns would have died in the passenger compartment while another would have been thrown out and then run over by the same minibus as it rolled towards the outside of the roadway.
According to the findings of the traffic police there are no other vehicles involved, but for Autostrade, a car was also involved in the accident.
In addition to the 118 staff, the Fire Brigade also intervened.
Rescuers are still at the accident site, at km 156, just before the motorway exit in Cerignola.
The police specify that they are continuing with the findings to ascertain the dynamics of the incident.
Traffic will also need to be restored to prevent sudden slowdowns on a fast-moving road from putting motorists at risk.
At the moment the section between Candela and Cerignola west is closed and there are two kilometers of queue towards Canosa.
To users heading to Canosa, after the compulsory exit in Candela,